1 \u00bd miles.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>$2,000,000 in purse money.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The strongest field ever assembled for a race over the lawn.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>On a card featuring the best runners from every division, and $15,000,000 in purse money, there\u2019s little question what the most anticipated race this weekend will be.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The Breeders\u2019 Bowl Turf, the one everyone has been talking about since, well, this time last year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> We\u2019ve got the usual suspects; we\u2019ve got the new shooters, the up and coming three year olds, and horses that on any other day in any other race would rank strong chances lining up here as longshots.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The so-called \u201cBig Five\u201d meet for the first time, looking to settle once and for all who the best turfer in the world currently is.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>This year\u2019s crop is such that we may not only be talking about the best right now, but the best ever<\/I>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>That\u2019s right: As these five have rolled through the biggest races in the world, memories of Enough Knock, Joe Cayenne, and other legends are fading, being replaced with these five names: Sunnybank Memorial, Allied Assault, Rain God, Bristol Rovers, and Horseshoe Bay.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Let\u2019s take an in-depth look at the field.<\/FONT><\/P><\/DIV> The Big Five The Defending Champion: Sunnybank Memorial Pedigree:<\/I> A.P. Indy x Sadler\u2019s Wells<\/FONT><\/P> Season Record (Divisional Ranking): <\/I>9: 7-2-0 (1)<\/FONT><\/P> What\u2019s the buzz:<\/I>\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Generally regarded as the best turf horse in the world right now, Sunnybank Memorial strode out to a facile victory in this race last year, and this race will mark his 17th<\/SUP> consecutive start in a G1 race.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s riding a three race win streak, including a victory in the G1 Sword Swallower, where his late kick through the stretch motored him home an easy 2 \u00bd length winner over rival Allied Assault.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Jockey N. Why he\u2019ll win: <\/I>This is his fourth straight run over the Why he won\u2019t win: <\/I>Rain God has his number: he\u2019s only lost twice this season, but both times, its been Rain God who out-finished him.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He needs to find a way to get past that rival to have a shot at winning, but too much of a focus on Rain God could open up the event for one of the other contenders if those two are too wrapped up in each other and lose track of the rest of the field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Allied Assault: Can an Old Dog Learn New Tricks? Pedigree: <\/I>War Chant x Season Record (Divisional Ranking): <\/I>7: 4-3-0 (2)<\/FONT><\/P> What\u2019s the buzz: \u00a0<\/SPAN>In his third straight appearance in this event, Allied Assault won two years ago and ran 2nd<\/SUP> to his younger rival Sunnybank Memorial last year.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A horse truly built on the mold of his sire, War Chant, Allied Assault is a refined horse who has bulked up significantly as he\u2019s aged, and though he still seems to be at the top of his game, trainer masterab (aka Kingab)<\/I> has carefully decreased his workload as his charge has racked up the starts, and pulled a last trick out of his hat this fall, leading into what some think may be this runner\u2019s swan song: after a solid 2nd<\/SUP> in the Sword Swallower, Kingab announced his plans to rest his charge into the Breeders\u2019 Bowl.<\/FONT><\/P> He explained his reasoning in a recent interview, along with the expected last-second jitters and second guessing: \u201cI have had a lot of second thoughts on the eleven weeks off that Allied Assault will have had when he goes in the gate for the race. It’s too late to do anything about it now, but I do wonder how he will perform in this most anticipated race. I felt all along though that if I didn’t do something to ‘shake\u00a0him up’ that he would run well, but that he wouldn’t win.\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He went on to explain the aim of the time off, and wonder what the implications of a Breeders\u2019 Bowl success for his stable star might mean, and whether his methods might be duplicated in the years to come: \u201cThis time off certainly should make him do one of two things. Move forward to a great run, or regress with the need of a race. However, what if he runs great? As far as I can remember this is the first time anyone has taken this approach to a classic race.\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN>That\u2019s a story in itself: the veteran trainer and his aging superstar blazing innovative new trails to glory.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Why he\u2019ll win:<\/I> He\u2019s fresh, and the extra rest could give him the little bit extra he needs to get past his rival and stake his claim at the top.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Though he\u2019s technically the betting favorite at 4\/1, he\u2019ll be helped by coming into this race in the relative shadow of Sunnybank Memorial, free to run his race without being the main focus of attention.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Why he won\u2019t win:<\/I> Despite Kingab\u2019s faith in his charge, he admits that eleven weeks off is an unusual length of time to rest a horse just before the most competitive race of their career.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Most horses coming back from an 11 week layoff need one race or more to round back into peak shape, and it might be too much to ask <\/FONT><\/P> In The Shadow Of Superstars: Rain God Looking For Respect Pedigree:<\/I> Rainbow Quest x Dynaformer<\/FONT><\/P> Season Record (Divisional Ranking):<\/I> 9: 7-0-1 (3)<\/FONT><\/P> What\u2019s The Buzz: \u00a0<\/SPAN>Often lost in the hype created by the rivalry between the aforementioned duo, Rain God has run as well or better than both of his rivals through the majority of this year, and ranks as the only horse to defeat Sunnybank Memorial this term.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He\u2019s also chased home Bristol Rovers twice, which only tosses the picture of today\u2019s race into an even greater jumble.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>When Rain God is on, he\u2019s usually found sitting just off the pace, and more often than not, he gets the first run on the leaders and can hold off the closers as the field moves through the stretch.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> His record doesn\u2019t quite show the straight string of G1 races that his two more glamorous rivals might, but trainer kevoman3<\/I> bristles at the suggestion that this horse is a player at anything less than the highest level in the division: \u201cThe main thing I want from this race for this\u00a0horse\u00a0is respect! Every time I read about this division it’s Sunnybank Memorial this and Allied Assault that, and now with Horseshoe Bay achieving what he’s achieved, Rain God has kind of taken a back seat in most players minds.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I respect what every horse in this race has achieved but I fear nothing\u00a0 – the horse has been trained specifically for the race and if he is beaten, the winner will know he’s had to fight tooth and claw to get past him.\u201d<\/FONT><\/P> Rain God also ranks as the one major contender with a chance to steal the race near the front end: if he gets away with a dawdling pace, the closing kick of his four major rivals may be for naught if they\u2019re left with too much to do through the stretch.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Why He\u2019ll Win: <\/I>A four race winning streak and a 2: 2-0-0 head to head record against Sunnybank Memorial this year are compelling arguments.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His running style is an added advantage, and he\u2019ll be a tough customer today.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Why He Won\u2019t: <\/I>Bristol Rovers has beaten him twice, and there are horses in the race that are going to see to it that the pace isn\u2019t soft: he\u2019ll receive a major class test today, and may find the four-pronged attack of the closers too much to fend off.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Back In The Highlife: Pedigree: <\/I>Rahy x Season Record (Divisional Ranking):<\/I> 9: 6-0-1 (9)<\/FONT><\/P> What\u2019s The Buzz: \u00a0<\/SPAN>After handily taking down the Man Of War Stakes (G1) and Classic Turf Stakes (G1) last year, this stocky, blaze-faced son of Rahy marched into the Breeders\u2019 Bowl as a solid second choice behind then-defending champion Allied Assault, but when the gates opened, jockey R. Harzheim needed just three strides to know that something was seriously wrong: pulled up and vanned off the track, it was quickly discovered that Bristol Rovers had strained a tendon.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>After intense speculation as to whether the star turfer would be retired or not, owner Swampy opted to train his horse on, with an eye towards vindicating himself in this year\u2019s Breeders\u2019 Bowl.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Bristol Rovers hasn\u2019t always looked like the same horse this year as he was last year, where, discounting the Breeders\u2019 Bowl, he won nine of ten starts, including five G1 races, but when the five year old has been right, he\u2019s been difficult to contain and almost impossible to beat, and he flashed racefans everywhere what many think may be a preview of the Breeders\u2019 Bowl when he overcame his usual pre-race anxiety and powered down the Longchamp Stretch to absolutely annihilate the G1 Ark de Triumph, humbling one of his rivals today, Militant.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His speed number in that race puts him just shy of competing with the big three, but he wasn\u2019t pushed, and reports of his run in Why He\u2019ll Win: <\/I>For the same reason that Rain God will lose: If Bristol Rovers is better than Rain God, who is better than Sunnybank Memorial, who in turn is better than Allied Assault (yes, this sentence has turned on its head the popular conception of the pecking order of turf marathoners this season), Bristol Rovers seems to have this field at his mercy.<\/FONT><\/P> Why He Won\u2019t:<\/I> Head-to-head comparisons of who-beat-who are notoriously unreliable in racing, and take note of the fact that one of the times that he\u2019s beaten Rain God, he\u2019s finished 3rd<\/SUP> while Rain God was 4th<\/SUP>.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>The speed numbers from his last four races leave a little bit to be desired if he\u2019s to compete with the big ones, and he\u2019s definitely got his work cut out for him.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> Youth Will Be Served: Pedigree:<\/I> Red Ransom x Woodman<\/FONT><\/P> Season Record (Divisional Ranking):<\/I> 11: 8-2-0 (1, Three Year Old Turf Long Div.)<\/FONT><\/P> What\u2019s The Buzz: \u00a0<\/SPAN><\/I>Two years ago, it was the three-year old version of Allied Assault that got his picture taken here, and last year, it was Sunnybank Memorial getting his picture taken as an underclassman.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Here\u2019s the twist: He went on to give a cautious assessment of what it might take for his horse to win in this spot: \u201cI’m really hoping for a strong pace in the Turf Classic.\u00a0 Hopefully Militant can lead all, till about a furlong out, to help set it up for Why He\u2019ll Win:<\/I> Three year olds historically perform well, and there hasn\u2019t been a better three year old than this one.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Though he\u2019s tiny in comparison to his rivals (he stands slightly under 16 hands and often seems to be lost in the shuffle of bigger rivals), he\u2019s seemingly got an eight-cylinder engine packed into his stocky frame, and when he gets rolling, his turn of foot is unbelievable; he seems to cram two to three strides into the space that other horses take one, and he can sustain his kick for several furlongs.<\/FONT><\/P> Why He Won\u2019t: <\/I>His first try against his elders was a less-than-encouraging 7th<\/SUP> place finish in the Coalminer Cup (G1).\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Minesweeper beat him there, and wasn\u2019t exactly left alone on the lead in that one, so even if the tactics set up as this one\u2019s connections are hoping, he\u2019ll need to improve significantly to compete with horses of what appear to be a much higher caliber than he faced last time out.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P><\/DIV> And In The Other Corner (Longshots, In Post-Position Order) Revelation II Pedigree: <\/I>Kingmambo x Nureyev<\/P> Season Record (Divisional Ranking):<\/I> 8: 5-2-0 (6)<\/P> What\u2019s The Buzz:\u00a0<\/EM>\u00a0He’s a forgotten horse in this race, and his performances off a layoff don’t seem to put him with this group, but his trainer sees things from a different angle: “There’s\u00a0no question that this guy’s starting to feel some wear and tear, but any horse who can win 3 straight graded races deserves a shot at the Breeders’ Bowl.\u00a0 He’s struggled a big off his recent layoff, but is coming into this week looking fit and sharp.\u00a0 Following up that statement with words that should be music to the ears of trainers of big horses that will be coming from the back, trainer oscar<\/EM> continued; “I’m not planning any big surprises here –\u00a0 I expect him to go for the front and try his best to stay there.\u00a0 Whether he can do that or not, I truly don’t know, but its a great privilege to have him competing in what is arguably the toughest race on the card.”<\/SPAN> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Though he\u2019s the longest shot on the board, and may actually prefer a distance upwards of 14 furlongs, he\u2019s a classy, classy speed horse who sports a stellar record this term.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>If he can reverse his form in his third start off of a long layoff, he\u2019ll be dangerous from the inside post running on the lead.\u00a0 <\/SPAN><\/P> Why He\u2019ll Win: